Monocyte and lymphocyte surface-expressed viral antigens have been demonstrated after exposure of unseparated human mononuclear leukocytes to influenza virus in vitro. The current studies, using [35S]methionine pulse-labeled purified preparations of virus-exposed macrophages, depleted of lymphocytes, demonstrate that the presence of these viral proteins does represent new synthesis. However, purified lymphocytes, depleted of monocytes-macrophages and exposed to influenza virus, showed no detectable viral protein synthesis. In further experiments, unseparated mononuclear leukocytes were exposed to virus and subsequently separated by countercurrent centrifugal elutriation. Both macrophages and lymphocytes were then shown to synthesize influenza proteins. Cell-free control or influenza virus-infected macrophage-derived supernatant fluids did not facilitate influenza virus infection of the lymphocytes. The data suggest that macrophages are required for influenza virus infection of human lymphocytes, and raise the possibility that macrophage facilitation of an abortive infection of lymphocytes plays a role in the generation of effective immunity to viral antigens.

Recurrent infections with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have been well documented despite serological evidence of prior exposure of the host and the absence of clear evidence of antigenic variation of the virus. Therefore, human mononuclear leukocytes, as well as purified lymphocytes and monocytes-macrophages, were exposed to RSV in vitro and examined for expression of viral antigens by using indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies to RSV. RSV infected both human monocytes-macrophages and lymphocytes in vitro. RSV infection resulted in both a decrease in the number of T helper phenotype cells and an increase in T suppressor phenotype cells. RSV proteins were disproportionately expressed by atypical or lymphoblastoid cells, many of which were of the T suppressor phenotype. Circulating mononuclear leukocytes obtained from symptomatic children infected with RSV frequently expressed viral antigens. Viral antigens appeared to be detected more frequently in cells from the younger subjects. The findings suggest that initial or early RSV infections in children include infection of circulating immunocompetent cells. It remains to be determined whether the described RSV-induced alterations in lymphocyte subpopulations contribute to recovery from and/or recurrence of RSV infections.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection has been shown to induce human mononuclear leukocyte (MNL) production of net interleukin-1 (IL-1)-inhibitor activity. In the current studies of IL-1-inhibitor effects, RSV-exposed cells were compared with autologous MNL that were sham-exposed or exposed to inactivated RSV or influenza virus (which induces net IL-1 activity and commonly elicits effective homotypic immunity). Exposure of MNL to influenza virus or inactivated RSV resulted in increased expression of human leukocyte antigen-DR, the IL-2 receptor, and the transferrin receptor and increased progression through the cell cycle by 3 days. In contrast, exposure to infectious RSV resulted in decreased marker expression and cell cycle arrest, with abrogation of proliferation in response to the virus or other stimuli. These data raise the possibility that a contributing mechanism for recurrence of RSV infection is early suppression of the clonal expansion of virus-specific lymphocytes due to net IL-1-inhibitor activity.

Monocytes-macrophages and lymphocytes are recruited to the respiratory tract in response to influenza virus challenge and are exposed to the virus during the establishment of immune defenses. The susceptibility of human lymphocytes to infection was assessed. The presence of monocytes-macrophages was required to attain infection of both resting and proliferating lymphocytes. Lymphocyte infection occurred in the context of immune cell clusters and was blocked by the addition of anti-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) antibody to prevent cell clustering. Both peripheral blood-derived and bronchoalveolar lymphocytes were susceptible to infection. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were susceptible to influenza virus infection, and the infected CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes served as infectious foci for other nonpermissive or even virus-permissive cells. These data show that monocytes-macrophages and both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes can become infected during the course of an immune response to influenza virus challenge. The described leukocyte interactions during infection may play an important role in the development of effective anti-influenza responses.

Net interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitor activity is induced by exposure of purified human monocytes-macrophages to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Furthermore, IL-1 inhibitor activity was produced by monocytes-macrophages exposed to RSV in the presence of lymphocytes, that is, by unseparated mononuclear leukocytes (MNL). Purified RSV-exposed lymphocytes, as well as the lymphocytes exposed within MNL preparations, produced net IL-1 inhibitor activity. In contrast, net IL-1 activity was produced when purified monocytes-macrophages or unseparated MNL were exposed to influenza virus. The RSV-induced IL-1 inhibitors demonstrated antiproliferative effects on mitogen-stimulated human lymphocytes as well as on the mouse thymocytes used in standard assays. The results raise the possibility that such antiproliferative activity is mediated, at least in part, by monocytes-macrophages. The data also suggest that IL-1 inhibitors produced by MNL after exposure to RSV may contribute along with other factors to the recurrence of RSV infection in immune individuals.